Fixed gear madness in Albuquerque

The lack of gears and brakes is not stopping plenty of Burque kids from enjoying the pleasures of the fixie. Here's a slideshow and story about the fixie craze in Albuquerque put together by a couple of guys from the Journal.

You can't cruise Downtown Albuquerque or the student ghettos around UNM these days without seeing them everywhere. They are cheap, easy to maintain, and, most important, just plain fun.

damn, wish i was in alb most of the time.. i have been wanting ti get a fixed hub for my 87' schwinn.. i plan on painting the rims olive and light spokes with the frame black or white.. any good places to get a hub?? im talking cheap..

Gears are for people over forty-five? Ahem. I happen to be fifty-two years young and ride a fixie almost everyday to work during the summer months when I don't have to cart winter gear around. I do keep a front brake caliper on the bike for commuting, though.

thanks guys.. ill check to see what hub is on the bike.. i was gust gonna order a set of wheels.. but ill see what happens.. thanks for the help. and is there any gatherings to ride the city?? other than cm which i can never make??

As a clarification, city ordinance doesn't specifically require brakes, only that a bike can come to a "skidding stop" within something like 30 feet.

That said, if you're thinking of going fixie, PLEASE put a front brake on there. Why?
- First of all, 70% of your stopping power comes from your front wheel. It's fine and dandy to be able to lock your pedals and skid the bike to a stop, but it can't save you in an emergency like a front brake can.
- Secondly, without a front brake, your chain is your first and last resort. I've seen a guy on a fixie lose his chain, and have no choice but to run his bike into the curb to stop himself. Luckily, he had a helmet on.

In a similar story that may be urban legend, there was a bike messenger in San Francisco whose chain broke as he was rocketing downhill towards a red light at a busy intersection. He "flintstoned" it, planting his feet and trying to grind to a halt. He managed to stop before getting t-boned by cross traffic, but he was pretty much not wearing any shoes anymore.